Is your social media presence powerful enough?

How many apps do you have on your phone? How many of them do you open every day? We like and follow a lot of pages and users on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but how many of those updates and tweets do we actually care about? Just like in the real world, it takes panache to be famous in the virtual world, so it is no surprise that so few people seem to have nailed it. Whether you’re an aspiring digital influencer or an admin of your company page trying to engage with existing and new customers, asking these questions will tell you how much of a social media superpower you are.

Is your content worth the time?

No one owes anyone anything. If you send too many Candy Crush requests or spam timelines with too many photos of your products, people will unfollow you in a jiffy. Creating quality content that provokes people to think and posting this content in moderation are the cornerstones of social media etiquette. If you’re handling a business page, talk about your product, any contests you’re organising and your team in general. If you’re an aspiring influencer, try posting a variety of things to see what posts garner more response.

Are you dedicated to the cause of liking, posting and retweeting?

This often means spending a substantial amount of time paying attention to the content other people are posting. If you engage with people by asking questions and responding to what they say, they’re more likely to do the same with your content.

Are you listening to your customer?

Recently, MakeMyTrip came up with a series of ads featuring prominent Bollywood stars. The company posted them on their Facebook page, and within a day, the comments section was full of complaints from unhappy customers. A lot of businesses face this issue these days. Customers use social media as a platform to voice their opinions, but content managers often have template answers to give. If you want to avoid backlash, listen to what your customers have to say. The better your personal engagement is with people, the more your influence grows.

Does your content get shared often?

No one ever shares something in which they don’t find value. Your content must either be funny or thought-provoking. Basically, it must connect with viewers emotionally. If your content is being shared often, it means that your influence is growing—people want to listen to what you have to say.

Do people ask for your opinion on something?

Well, you’re officially among the small percentage of influencers people trust! Be it restaurant reviews or gadget reviews, people trust your opinion. This even works with people who have a relatively smaller number of followers. It is not the size of your follower group but the amount of influence you have on your followers that matters.

As in the real world, the only way to make your presence felt in the virtual world is by engaging with people, answering their questions and having a worthwhile opinion on topics in your field of interest. A strong social media presence can make you money, among other things.

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)